Safety device for ladders



May 16, 1933. J BABITT 7 1,909,565

SAFETY DEVICE FOR LADDERS Filed Aug. 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1N VENTOR J0sPH F BHBITT A TTORNE Y May 16, 1933. J. F. BABITT SAFETY DEVICE FOR LADDERS Filed Aug. 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOSEPH F? BflB/TT B Y a. W

A TTORNE Y Patented May 16, 1933 UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE JOSEPH F. IBABITT, F WELLINGTON, OHIO I SAFETY DEVICE FOR LADDERS Application filed. August 20, 1931. Serial No. 558,242.

My invention relates to safety device for within the recess 23, formed between the ladders, and more especially fire ladders. inner walls of the safety foot holder 17 and One object of my invention is to provide the clamp flanges 20 and 21, by means of a'device that is readily adjusted and enbolts 24 and 25 turned through the apertures sures a safe hold on any surface. 26 and 27 in the safety foot 22, said safety Another object is to provide a safety lock foot having projecting shoulders 28 and 29 for the pronged foot when the ladder is not extending at right angles to the edges which in use. prevent the foot sliding up too far within Other objects and advantages will be apthe recess 23. The safety foot 22 terminates parent from the following description in in a plurality of wedge-shaped prongs or 69 connection with the accompanying drawings, toes 30, and the point or edge of said prongs and in which: pressing down upon any surface, prevents Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fragslipping. I I ment of a ladder with the safety device in The checks 18 and19-are pivoted upon the holding position; Fig. 2 is a side elevation bolt31 which is mounted through the bear- 65 with the device in holding position; Fig. 3 ing 32 within the stile 10, and the head of is an opposite side elevation similar to Fig. saidbolt presses the lock washer 3160 against 2; Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 2, with the safety the outside surface of the cheek 19 when device closed; Fig. 5 is a rear elevation with the bolt is screwed into the aperture 33 in 9 the safety device closed; Fig. 6 is a longithe check 18. 70 tudinal section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3, A compression spring 34 is attached to with the stile broken away; Fig. 7 is a side the inner surface ofthe safety foot holder elevation of the end of the ladder stile; Fig. 17 by a pin 34a, said spring projecting 8 is a front elevation of the device; Fig. 9 through the metal box and into the stile 10 5 is a perspective view of the safety foot of at an angle. 7. the device; Figs. 10 and 11 are perspective A round head 36 through which a ring views of the parts that compose the metal 37 is mounted is screwed upon athreaded bolt box, and Fig. 12 is a perspective View of the nk 35 fter the said shank has been pivoted safety foot holder. thrust throughthe bearing 39 and the spring Referring specifically to the drawings: h enlarged bOlt end 38 proje ts 39 the numeral 10 refers to the ladder stile with gh S d bea ng 39 and being larger in rungs 11; a metal box or casing which condiameter than nnk pr v nts Said jsts f t it parts or id 13 d bolt end 38 from slipplng out as the ring 37 14 ith Connecting l t 15 d 16, i b lt d draws the bolt back through the aperture to the base of the stile which conforms to in the arm n w y from the surface of 85 th inner contour f th t l 1 i t the plate 50 attached to the outer surface of whi h it fit the metal box. This allows the safety foot Th f t foot h ld 17 i i o i holder 17 to be pressed back, 'fla-t against the whi h i b t t f r air f id h k end surface of the metal box, when the lock 18 and 19 at its upper end and a pair of o or latch 41 is'drawn down by means of the posite clamping flanges 20 and 21 t it r1ng42 in the pin 43 mounted on the under lower end. Said cheek 19 has a curved top side of the lock 41, said lock being hinged at with the body tapered inward towards the 44 to the base of the metal box. bend line of the flange, while said cheek 18 A compression spring 45 is mounted withhas a semi-circular top with a projection 18a, in the aperture 49 and on the bolt 46 which extending therefrom, the body of the cheek passes thru openings in the lock and in the 18 being straight and at a right angle to metal casing. This spring is adapted to the face of the safety foot holder 17. expand between the washer 47 and burr 48 The clamp flanges 20 and 21 of the safety at one-end and the inside of themetal cas- 5 foot holder 17 retain the safety foot 22 ing at the other. end, thus tending to keep the lock 41 in contact with the bottom side end of the casing, to engage or release the of the meal casing.

When the ring 42 is drawn down, opening the lock 41, the prongs 30 of the safety foot 22 may be pushed back into a perpendicular position and the ring 42 released, and then the lock clamps down on'the ends of the prongs 30 which then rest within the lock, the sharp edges of the prongs being concealed in this Way to prevent injury in handling.

A look pin 51 with rounded end 52 projects through the aperture 53 in the metal boX and terminates in an elongated head 54:. The end 52 presses into a depression 55 in the stile 10, which prevents the pin 51 from sliding back and forth. When the safety foot holder is flat against the surface of the metal box an additional safety lock is secured by turning the elongated head 54 of the pin 51 at right angles after it passes through the slot 56 in thecircular depression 57 in the safteyfoot holder 17 A fire ladder equipped with this device at both ends of each ladder stile saves time in erecting as either end of the ladder may be used with equal security.

In use, the safety foot 17 may be swung out by releasing or opening the latch '11, to allow the prongs 30 to engage the floor or ground and so hold the ladder against slipping. Reverse action permits the foot 17 to be swung in and held by engagement with the latch 41.

I claim:

1. A safety device for ladders, comprising a casing fixed to the end of the ladder stile, a holding foot pivoted to the casing, and a latch pivoted to the casing and engageable over the toe of the foot when the latter is swung in to closed position.

2. A safety device for ladders as in claim 1, and a spring pin mounted in the casing and engageable with the foot when the latter is swung out, to hold the same in open position.

3. A safety device for ladders as in claim 1, and a spring between the casing and foot, tending to swing the latter to open position.

1. A safety device for ladders as in claim 1, and a spring between the casing and the latch tending to hold the latter closed over the toe of the foot.

5. A safety device for ladders as in claim 1, the casing comprising a box fitting over and enclosing the end of the stile.

6. A safety device for ladders as in claim 1, the foot having flanges at opposite sides of the casing, and a spring pin mounted in the casing and movable transversely therein to engage or disengage one of the flanges.

7 A safety device for ladders as in claim 1, the casing enclosing the lower end of the stile, and the latch being hinged to the lower toe of the foot.

In testimony whereof, I do aflix my signature.

JOSEPH F. BABIT'l. 

